@title = 'Packaging in GNU/Linux'
@author = 'meskio'
@posted_at = '2020-06-18'
@more = true
@preview_image = '/img/pages/gummi-penguins.jpg'

We get frequently asked why we don't do flatpack or appimage or arch packages or 
... There are many distros and many package managers in GNU/Linux. Sadly our 
time is limited and we have to decide what we focus or energies on. And 
currently in GNU/Linux we are focusing our work on [snap 
packages](https://snapcraft.io/riseup-vpn).

I know, snap has many problems. Packages often don't work well in distros not 
based in debian ([#272](https://0xacab.org/leap/bitmask-vpn/-/issues/272), 
[#77](https://0xacab.org/leap/bitmask-vpn/-/issues/77)). It's a centralized 
platform, controlled by one commercial entity that not [everybody agrees with 
its 
decisions](https://jatan.blog/2020/05/02/ubuntu-snap-obsession-has-snapped-me-off-of-it/).

Our primary target audience has always being the less computer wise users. In 
GNU/Linux most of this users use ubuntu. That has being our main reason to focus 
or energies on supporting ubuntu users. And snap makes it very easy to include 
software in ubuntu so is easy to install in this platform.  Also the most used 
distros around are debian based, and snap usually works well on those.

Knowing that not everybody likes snap we produce [.deb 
packages](https://riseup.net/en/vpn/linux#package-installation) as well, and we 
do our best to keep them up to date.

One of the other options we have explored is flatpack. I think it's architecture 
is great, its security is really nice and it solves some of the problems of snap 
(is not centralized, the control is in the users, ...). But flatpack is designed 
to containerize the applications, making impossible to package something like a 
VPN in snap as a VPN needs to modify the network configuration and the firewall 
which is by design not allowed by flatpack. So, for us flatpack is not an 
option.

Snap does containerize as well, but this is something that you can disable when 
you make the snap by using the 'classic' mode. We do that to be able to package 
a VPN into snap.

From the core team we might not have the time in near future to work on any 
other packages. But we will welcome any contributors. If you would like to 
package the VPN for your favourite package manager we'll be really happy to 
help. Don't hesitate to [open an 
issue](https://0xacab.org/leap/bitmask-vpn/-/issues/new) to discuss it there or 
pass by 
[irc](https://kiwiirc.com/client/irc.freenode.net:+6697/?nick=guest?#leap) or 
our [mailing list](discuss-subscribe@leap.se).